Digital Camera as Light Meter?

I've an Olympus C 2040. It has lots of bells and
whistles including programable bracketing and a
Zoom f 1.8 lens. I've worked with it some as a
spot meter in real time; no bracketed series.
IIRC, the spot is tighter than 5 degrees.

Are there any takeing their digitals as fully
functional light meters? Dan

Sounds possible

I believe that a d*****l camera has more utility as a light meter than a light meter has as a d*****l camera. Not only that but when the d*****l camera is one year old and having been superceded by three generations it well retains itis usefulness as a paperweight.

In my opinion it is not worth the effort. Get a Pentax digital spot meter (or other but the Pentax is as simple as can be). It's easier to use, probably cheaper, and probably will retain its' value better.

I primarily use a hand help spot meter, with my Nikon N80 as a backup meter. The only real use I have found for a digital camera is to take pictures of signs, etc. - that way I don't have to take extensive notes about what I am shooting.

Digital camera light meters do not meter the same way that a dedicated light meter does because digital sensors respond differently to light than film. And aren't we all glad for that.

Get a second hand light meter. It will serve your photography better and longer than a digital camera.

Neither type of meter responds to light in the same way as film does. That doesn't mean you can't work with a digital camera as a light meter- it just means you need to be aware of its limitations (just as you do with a conventional meter).

If Dan already has a digital camera and is using it successfully as a light meter, he should continue to do so. Why should he spend more on a meter when he's already got one that is doing the job for him? When his digicam finally dies, he might consider getting a conventional meter (but then again, he might just get another digicam ....)

I'd be tempted to take it further and use the
histogram feature to guide your exposure, especially
if you shoot trannies.

Yes, the histogram feature. As I said I've used the camera
as a real time spot meter. Reading that small back of camera
screen and metering at the same time was difficult.

At the time I was not even considering the auto-bracketing
feature. I've now boned up and will be dusting the camera off.
I've a choice of three or five sequential shots with .3, .6 or
1.0 brackets. After the shoot I'll have all the exposure
information and view recorded and available.

If it works well I'll think of the C-2040 as light meter which
records a picture. The C-2040 includes averageing, spot,
and multi-point spot integration. Dan